MR E. WAKEFIELD, M H.R., AT TEMUKA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5267, 6 January 1879, Page 3

MR E. WAKEFIELD, M H.R., AT TEMUKA.

(By Special Wire.)

Timartj, January 4th,

Mr E. Wakefield, M.H.R., addreaaed his conatituents at Temuka laat evening. About 400 peraons were present.

Mr Wakefield said he was one of those who put Sir George Grey in- power. A majority of the House then believed a change of Government absolutely necessary, and saw none but Sir George Grey able to conduct the administration. He had supported Sir George Grey so far as to give him a chance of executing the reforms, but when he found members of the Ministry stumping the country instead of attending to business, and that when last session came it became clear they had no intention of carrying out the promised reform, he went into opuosition as an independent; member. He saw'the only object of the Ministry was to stick to their seats at all hazards; and even then, to save evil consequences, he and others were willing to assist the Government with their measures ; but, owing principally to the Hon. Mr Stout's obstinate attitude, it was found utterly impossible to do any good. Tbe Electoral Bill did not and was not intended to provide manhood euffrage. It was a timid measure, and threw the door open to corruption. The Bribery Bill, which waa withdrawn, was a highly necessary measure, as an instance of which Mr Wakefield referred to an election which coat a candidate LI2OO. Everything went to prove the Electoral Bill a sham and a delusion. He said if the Maori qualification clause had been passed it would have put eight or nine seats in the North.lsland in the power of the Pakeha-Maoris. Because the Council threw out the Maori clause the Government preferred to let the Biil go altogether, which clearly showed the hollowness of their promised reforms. The question would come up again in the future, and he would state once and for all that he would refuse to allow any Maori to vote for Europeans unless he paid rates. The Maoris had been a pampered race, and would be till they were extinct. Mr Wakefield went on to say the Government, instead of acting on the expresaed wish of the House, that both income and property taxes should be brought down, had only introduced a property tax. The idea of the Government was to pass a law punishing the rural districts, and by which men living at Home and drawing large sums of money from the Colony, as well as wealthy dealers in town, escaped taxation. The,measure was a most iniquitous one. He said tha land tax was inquisitorial, and would be better and more easily collected by local bodies in the shape of rates. He learntit was already being found out that it was quite impossible to value land without the improvements, and he believed the result would be endless law suits and widespread dissatisfaction.— (Cheers.) The Beer Tax Bill was defeated with the approval of the Premier and the Native Minister. They should put an extra tax on outside beer, not on local manufactures. The Companies Tax Bill was quite as iniquitous aa the beer tax, and it waa dead against working men of small capital who invested in joint etock companies. He thoroughly approved of the Public Works scheme, by which land was reserved near the proposed railways, and so prevent it falling into the hands of speculators. But when the Bill was brought down he at once saw the Minister of Public Works had no intention of making Canterbury lines at all, but intended to give everything to Otago; therefore he opposed the Bill, and instead of allowing the Government to spend six million pounds at their own will, they only gave them power to spend half a million on specified objects. He believed that the only railways which would be made in the Colony thia year would be those in Otago, and it waa a monsti ous thing to use the land fund of Canterbury to make railways in Otago, while all other places in the Colony were neglected. He said the Government did not take steps for redistribution of representation, aa promised, because when the census returns were published they found Canterbury would be entitled to 22 seats, whilst some of their North Island pocket-boroughs would lose their members, and therefore it would be against the Government luiroamjiOT. vrifcu— «c(_«ra to r,ne —nrcure, he believed people had lost all confidence in the Grey Government, although Sir George Grey had had the best chances of any man of introducing reforms. He believed that next year a strong stand would be made against their, During the last recess, and at the present time, the Government were wandering about the country and riding their own private hobbies. Ho was convinced a fresh Ministry would be placed in powsr, who would honestly, steadily, and impartially attend to tho public business, He complimented the Legislative Council for always exercising moderation and giving general satisfaction. In regard to education, Mr. Wakefield gave his reasons for supporting Curtis's Bill, and said the fact of ita only being defeated by seven votes, was the strongest argument that public feeling* was tending towards denominational education. He expressed iv strong terms his belief that reljgfon and morality could not be taught without t,\ie help of the Bible. . Mr Wakefield sat down amid prolonged cheers. After a number of questions had been put and answered, a resolution waa carried, with only four dissentient voices, thanking him most heartily for his address and for the able services he had rendered in the past, The four electors who voted against the resolution did so because he expressed himself against the Counties Act being brought into force in Geraldine County, and would thus prevent Temuka being made the centre oi the County administration.